Branding
Dear Readers,
Danielle started her soap business two years ago. She is barely turning a profit and therefore hasn’t pulled the trigger on marketing her soaps. Danielle asked, “I can’t afford to hire a marketer and don’t have a ton of digital experience. What should I do about marketing my product?”
Pedro: Josh, you deal with customers all the time and are continually trying to attract new bank clients. What do you think about this?
Josh: I think the most important thing to remember is that marketing doesn’t have to be expensive. I’ve heard that small businesses should plan to spend 5-10% of their revenue on marketing. But there are many less expensive and just as effective tactics that business owners like Danielle can try. First, think about social media. Write a blog or post on Instagram. You can even consider using Facebook advertising. Facebook is an inexpensive and effective way to market to virtually any audience and setting up a Facebook campaign is pretty straightforward. Social can be a good source of traffic and exposure for your business and/or website. Being active on social media sites will not only increase brand awareness, it’ll also boost your company’s rank on search engines, and prove that you’re a business that is in sync with the times.
Pedro: That makes sense. People are online, and you need to make sure you have a credible online presence. As customers are increasingly present online, you must reach them where they are. I would recommend ranking your Google My Business (GMB) listing. It’s one of the most powerful things you can do for your business, especially for local businesses targeting local customers. If someone searches online for “Kansas City soaps”, your business must pop up.
Josh: If you are just starting out, build a marketing plan right away. Any good marketing starts out with marketing strategy (identity and branding). It’s crucial to have a company name, logo, colors, imagery and other graphic elements that help communicate your strategic positioning to your customers. All of these pieces should work together to evoke a very specific tone and feeling. If you are just starting out, then you are in the best position to pick a strategic name…but even two years “in” isn’t too late to adjust your course. Think about what you want to communicate, then brainstorm related words, symbols and metaphors that could be used as a brand name. Don’t select your first name or last name as your business name. Also, consider hiring a freelancer for $500-$1000 to help you create a strong visual identity. There is truth in the statement “sometimes you have to spend money to make money.”
Pedro: Marketing is just a process by which a product or service is introduced and promoted to potential customers. So if you don’t have marketing, you probably don’t have customers, which means you don’t have sales. Any other ideas for Danielle?
Josh: Yes - never stop growing your network. Expand your network of contacts and potential clients. Ask your best, most powerful, most influential friends to introduce you to the five people they think you should meet to expand your business. Take each of the contacts out for coffee and get to know them. Discuss your plans and future goals, tell them about why your business is special and ask for their advice. You will be amazed at how these new contacts will pay off ten-fold with recommendations to you for new business and innovative ideas you hadn’t thought of.
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